Should the Cubs Be Interested in Adam Dunn?

So Adam Dunn wants to play for the Cubs, but are the Cubs interested in Adam Dunn? Without a doubt Dunn can mash the ball, when he makes contact, and fits the bill of the impact bat that Lou Piniella wants in the middle of his lineup.

The problem with Adam Dunn has always been his defense and if J.P Ricciardi is correct, possibly his desire to play the game. All of that aside, Adam Dunn can hit the ball, especially at Wrigley Field, but unfortunately he cannot catch it. With Alfonso Soriano hopping around in left field, a below average left fielder could be beyond brutal in right field for the Chicago Cubs.

Teams have to weigh a players offense against the defense that player brings to the table. In Dunn’s case however, defense should not play into the equation. The Cubs appear focused on Milton Bradley, and until Mark Teixeira decides on his new home, Bradley is likely to postpone making his decision.

While the Cubs wait for the ownership situation to clear up and for Scott Boras’ hold on the off-season to subside, here’s how Adam Dunn has performed against the other teams in the Central Division as well as against the elite pitchers in the National League….

Note: Dunn’s numbers against the Cubs were omitted as well as his three games against the Reds after he was traded from Cincinnati in August

Career Numbers Against the Central

Cubs – .260/.398/.614/1.012 – 97-for-373 with 16 doubles, a triple and 38 home runs with 84 walks and 126 strikeouts in 109 games

Astros – .253/.369/.510/.879 – 93-for-367 with 27 doubles, 2 triples and 21 home runs with 63 walks and 122 strikeouts in 106 games

Pirates – .257/.407/.534/.942 – 90-for-350 with 20 doubles, a triple and 25 home runs with 85 walks and 114 strikeouts in 106 games

Cardinals – .225/.358/.488/.846 – 86-for-383 with 20 doubles and 27 home runs with 78 walks and 102 strikeouts in 115 games

Brewers – .310/.438/.613/1.051 – 48-for-155 with 11 doubles and 12 home runs with 31 walks and 48 strikeouts (note: Dunn’s numbers against the Brewers are totals from the last three seasons, not career marks. Dunn’s career numbers against Milwaukee were unavailable)

Career Numbers in Central Parks

Wrigley Field – .286/.419/.664/1.083 – 62-for-217 with 11 doubles, a triple and 23 home runs with 49 walks and 68 strikeouts in 60 games

Great American – .254/.385/.556/.941 in 437 career games

Minute Maid Park – .259/.370/.524/.894 – 48-for-185 with 14 doubles, a triple and 11 home runs with 32 walks and 57 strikeouts in 53 games

Miller Park – .244/.405/.512/.918 – 50-for-205 with 11 doubles, a triple and 14 home runs with 52 walks and 65 strikeouts in 59 games

PNC Park – .226/.392/.403/.795 – 36-for-159 with 8 doubles, a triple and 6 home runs with 42 walks and 50 strikeouts in 48 games

Busch Stadium – .241/.388/.554/.943 – 20-for-83 with 5 doubles and 7 home runs with 19 walks and 23 strikeouts in 25 games

Situational Stats

As RF – .247/.398/.455/.853 – 63-for-255 with 15 doubles, a triple and 12 home runs with 60 walks and 76 strikeouts in 82 games

Dunn has hit better throughout his career in the second spot in the lineup with the cleanup spot coming in second and the fifth spot third best for Dunn.

Batting 2nd – .277/.389/.554/.943 with 29 doubles and 28 home runs in 107 games

Batting 4th – .256/.383/.512/.894 with 65 doubles, 2 triples and 71 home runs in 310 games

Batting 5th – .242/.390/.525/.915 with 55 doubles, 5 triples and 99 home runs in 380 games

Adam Dunn hit 40 home runs for the Reds and Diamondbacks in 2008…his fifth year in a row with at least 40 long balls. Dunn hit 27 dingers in 2003 in 116 games.

Tim Hudson

Brad Hennessey

Paul Byrd

Justin Masterson

Tim Wakefield

Ryan Dempster

Kevin Hart

Jon Lieber (2)

Carlos Zambrano

John Van Benschoten

Masa Kobayashi

Cliff Lee

Anthony Reyes

Jeremy Sowers

Jorge De La Rosa

Glendon Rusch

Logan Kensing (2)

Roy Oswalt

Wandy Rodriguez (2)

Clayton Kershaw

Hong-Chih Kuo

Greg Maddux

Brad Penny

Eric Gagne

Seth McClung

Derrick Turnbow

Mike Pelfrey

Johan Santana

Ian Snell

Josh Banks

Trevor Hoffman

Jake Peavy

Joe Thatcher

Joel Pineiro (2)

Rick Bauer

Colin Balester

In October the CCO looked at the Cubs’ Big Three and how they stacked up against the best pitching in the league. Dunn’s numbers stack up with what Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee put up in 2008 against top tier pitching in the National League.

Adam Dunn is probably not the best fit for the Cubs needs, especially on the defensive side. Numbers never lie and can often reveal a truth past a perception a certain player may or may not have.

If, and this is a big if, Adam Dunn could bring any kind of defense with him to the North Side, signing Adam Dunn to play right field would give Lou Piniella the thunder he is looking for from the left side.